Tuesday, 25 December 2012

For all of you, happy Holidays and enjoy Christmas. Also enjoy this wonderful and original version of the old Classic 'God rest ye merry gentlemen' by Annie Lennox. She has such a wonderful voice and if anybody can sing a beautiful song it is Annie Lennox.

Sunday, 23 December 2012

When we were children we were gratful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?

G.K. Chesterton. (English author 1874-1936)(Yes I know, the picture is not really in line with the quote by Chesterton. I think there is nothing wrong with enjoying the season, as long as you do not loose track of what is really important. And don't forget to be grateful for the rest of the year. Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

I live here in the middle of The Netherlands on so called 'new land'. My province 'Flevoland' used to be sea, but after the Second World War they wanted to create more living space. Out of the water new land was made, and the city I live in began in 1975. So this city and I have the same age.
Water still plays an imortant part, as it does in all of The Netherlands. Close to my house there is a large lake and I love to go for walks on the dyke next to it. It is gorgeous in the summer, but also when it is a grey day like last week, it is still very beautiful.
It was cold, and you can see how much wind there was when you look at the water. Also notice the amazing sky, especially in the third picture. There is nothing as beautiful as a Dutch sky.

Friday, 14 December 2012

In expensive design magazines, or on the internet you can find pictures of people who have their bookcases organised by color. I am always a bit baffled by this, I do not think I would be able to find a single book if I did this, bit somethimes it looks quite nice.

There is even a company Books by the foot where you can order the colours and the metres you need, and they will send you the books. Books are no longer trusted friends you know and love, but only part of the design.
One evening I did decide to try out what a few colour coordinated book shelves would look like, and here is the result. It looks nice, but like I said, I would never do all my bookcases like this, I would never be able to find another book again.

I do not like yellow, and I am glad these are all the yellow books I own.

All the different shades of blue make a beautiful combination, I think.

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Today it is the fifth of December, a date every child here in the Netherlands knows by heart. It is the feast of Saint Nicolas, or as we call it here: Sinterklaas.

In the fourth century saint Nicolas was bisshop of Myra, now in Turkey. During his life he made a lot of miracles happen. He saved a child from burning, he saved sailors from drowning, he prevented a famine and when a poor man had no dowry to give to his daughters, little pouches with money appeared in the house, enough for the dowry.
In the 11th century his body was taken from Myra by sailors who brought him to their hometown Bari, where they built a cathedral for him.
Saint Nicolas is the patron saint for sailors, children and he is also the patron of Orthodox Russia and the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.

In the Netherlands the catholic roots of the feast of Saint Nicolas are mostly forgotten by most people. The tradition of celebrating 'Sinterklaas' is centuries old and the tradition has many customs. According to the stories Saint Nicolas lives in Spain during the rest of the year, but in November he comes to the Netherlands on his steamship. He has the company of his servants, called the 'Zwarte Pieten', (the Black Petes).
﻿

A Saint Nicolas and a Black Pete

When Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands, he is greeted by the mayor of the town he arrives in and usually there is a huge feast where all the little children are dressed as little black Petes.
﻿

When Sinterklaas arrives..

It is customary to give presents to eachother, especially to the children. In the weeks before the fifth of December, children can place their shoe by the fireplace, and Saint Nicolas will fill it with little presents and sweets. This was already done in the 17th century, as you can see on this picture by Dutch painter Jan Steen.

Sinterklaas rides on a white horse over the rooftops, and he uses the chimney to deliver the presents. In his big red book he has the names of all the children and he knows if they were good or not. Sometimes, the children were told that bad children would be taken back to Spain by Sinterklaas.

Traditional sweets for the fifth of December

Almost every family (especially if there are little children who still believe in the 'Sint') will celebrate 'pakjes avond' (presents evening) tonight and also in all kinds of places you will find Saint Nicolas, for example in schools. When the children are older and do not believe in Sinterklaas anymore, it is usually still a family celebration, with loads of presents, and sometimes poems and all kinds of traditional sweets like pepernoten, suikergoed, marspein and of course: chocolate letters. (your first inital in chocolate)